Multiple light socket arrangement for christmas trees and the like



Dec. 24, 1963 w, GELLES 3,115,378

MULTI LIGHT SOCKET ARRANGEMENT FOR C STMAS TREES AND THE LIKE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 2, 1960 INVENTOR. WI LIJI AM GELLES BY3,115,378 RANGEMENT FOR THE LIKE Dec. 24, 1963 w. GELLES MULTIPLE LIGHTSOCKET AR CHRISTMAS TREESVAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2. 1960INVENTOR. WILLIAM GELLES ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,115,378MULTIPLE LIGHT SOCKET ARRANGEMENT FOR CHRISTMAS TREES AND THE LEKEWilliam Geiles, 46 Cardin St., Staten Island, N.Y. Filed Sept. 2, 196%,Ser. No. 53,774 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-20) This invention relates to a safetyelectric receptacle block whereby electric current may be readilydistributed from a main supply source to a plurality of outlet circuitsplugged into the block.

The invention is particularly applicable in connection with a displaysuch as a Christmas tree and provides a current distributing devicewhich lends itself for ready incorporation or mounting in the display,and it is also applicable for all types or" commercial and industrialuses.

One object of the invention is to provide a safety electrical connectorblock having sturdy, durable and economical construction, and adapted tobe assembled quickly and easily.

Another object is to provide a connector block having a generally fiatbody with annular conductive contact members disposed in a groove in theunderside of the body for receiving prongs of a plurality of electricplugs, the body being formed with tubular projections above and belowfor supporting Christmas tree decorations and for mounting the body on aChristmas tree.

Still another object is to provide a connector block with a plurality ofgrooves retaining annular contact members therein for receiving amultiplicity of electric plugs connected to external circuits.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector or receptacleembodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional View on an enlarged scale taken on line3-3 of FIG. 2.

.FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the device on the same scale as FIG. 3.

HG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of annular contact rings andsupport ring employed in the device.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating an embodimentof the invention.

In FIGS.14, there is shown an electrical receptacle 19 according to theinvention. This device includes an insulated plastic block 12 with agenerally rounded top 14 and a fiat bottom 16. A depending, annular rim18 may be provided at the bottom of the block. The block is formed witha tapered axial passage 20 which extends through a tapered, tubularaxial projection 22' at the top of the block and a wider tapered tubularaxial projection 24 at the bottom of the block. The top portion of aChristmas tree may be fitted into the bottom projection 24 as indicatedby dotted lines at T in FIG. 1, and a support S of a decoration 25 maybe inserted in and supported by the tubular projection 22.

At the underside of the block 12 is a circular groove 28. In this groovemay be inserted a ring 39 made of insulation material such as plastic,ceramic, pressed fiber, composition material or the like. The ring isprovided with spaced holes 32 best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, which mayreceive the shanks of screws 34 screwed into threaded holes 35 in theblock for holding the ring in the groove 23. The sides 37, 39 of thering are spaced from the sides 41, 43 of the groove to define concentric360 slots 3,115,378 Patented Dec. 24, 1963 S1, S2. Two annular ledges 36and 36 are formed at the inner and outer sides of the ring at the bottomthereof. Annular metal, spring contact conductive rings 38 and 40 abutsides 37, 39 of the ring respectively. The rings are bowed outwardlyfrom the sides of the ring 30 to overhang the ledges 36, 36. These bowedportions are visible in slots S1, S2 at the underside of the block. asviewed in plan in FIG. 4.

An axial passage 42 is formed in the block and opens into a radialgroove 44 formed in the block at the inner side of groove 28. Electriccable 45 fits in and extends through passage 42. One wire 46 of thecable is connected to ring 38 and the other wire 48 is connected to ring'40. The cable terminates in a plug 50 which can be inserted into aconvenience outlet for supplying electric power to the device It).

Plugs 52 shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 can be plugged into the device 10.One prong 53 will contact ring 38 and the other prong '55 will contactring 413. Wires 56 connected to plugs 52 can terminate at sockets 58 forlighting lamps 60 mounted therein. Due to spaced concentric circulararrangement of the contact rings 38, 4G, a plurality of plugs 52 can beinserted into the block 12 anywhere around the device It When the deviceis in the upright position shown in FIGS. 1-4, the body of the block andthe annular rim 1S overhangs the plugs 52. The circular slots 81 and S2defined between ledges 36, 36 and walls 41, 43 are protected fromfalling tinsel or other debris. The 360 arrangement of the contact ringsmakes it possible to insert a plug 5 2 at any point around the tree.This facilitates dressing the tree. The arrangement of wires 56 can beshorter than usual and neater and more easily concealed than hashitherto been possible.

The several parts of the device can be molded by well known, high speed,mass production methods and machinery, at low cost.

In assembling the device, insulation ring 30 will be removed and cablewill be threaded through passage 42 and groove 44. The wires '46, 48will be attached by soldering or equivalent means to the rings 38 and49, which will then be placed upon ring 30. The assembly of rings 30,38, 40 will then be inserted in groove 23 and screws 34 will be insertedthrough the ring 39 and screwed into the block. This simple procedurecompletes the assembly.

In FIG. 6 is shown another electrical receptacle 13 similar toreceptacle 10 and corresponding parts are identically numbered. Anadditional groove 59 is formed in the bottom 16 of block 121 andreceives another insulation ring 61 having a bottom annular ledge 63held by screws 34. On this ledge and abutting the side 67 of the ring 61is another metal ring 69. Groove 44* extends radially up to groove 59.An extension lead wire 48 is connected to ring 69 in parallel with wire48 which is connected to ring 40. Plug 5% has its prongs 53 55contacting rings 38 and 69, respectively. This arrangement permits thesingle ring 38 to serve as a contact member for plugs 52 inserted inslots S1 and S2, and also as a contact member for plugs 52 inserted inslots S1 and S3. If radial distance D2 between slots S1, S3 is madelarger or smaller than the radial separation D1 of slots S1, S2, prongs53 55 of plugs 52* may have greater or lesser spacing respectively thanthe spacing of prongs 53, 55 of plugs 52.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent An electrical connectorcomprising a solid block of insulation material with an endless grooveformed in one side of said block, an insulation ring removably disposedin said groove and having sides spaced from opposed sides of saidgroove, said insulation ring having annular ledges formed at bottomedges of the sides thereof, annular conductive rings abutting oppositesides of the insulation ring, said conductive rings having outwardlybowed portions overhanging said ledges, said ledges and adjacent sidesof said grove defining concentric slots extending through 360 at saidone side of the block, said block being formed with passages receivingwires connected to said conductive rings, said wires extending out ofthe block for connection to an external source of electric power, saidblock having tubular extensions formed on opposite sides thereof, atapered passageway extending through said block and said extensions forreceiving a support for said block, said block having another grooveconcentric with the first-named groove, another insulation ringremovably disposed in the other groove, and another conductive ringabutting one side of said other insulation ring, said other insulationring having a bottom ledge with the adjacent sides of the other groovedefining another slot concentric with the first-named slots, wherebydoublepronged plugs of external power consuming circuits may beselectively inserted into the first-named slots and into one of thefirstnamed slots and said other slot for contacting the conductive ringstherein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

